cover-up

noun

cov·​er-up ˈkə-vər-ˌəp How to pronounce cover-up (audio)
1
a
: a device or stratagem for masking or concealing
his garrulousness is a cover-up for insecurity
b
: a usually concerted effort to keep an illegal or unethical act or situation from being made public
2
: a loose outer garment

Examples of cover-up in a Sentence

that contrived burglary was just a cover-up for murder
Recent Examples on the Web Summer in Europe is all swimsuits and simple cover-ups, but fall calls for more layers and a sense of style. Kelsey Glennon, Travel + Leisure, 27 Oct. 2024 Israel has said Hamas terrorists are using civilians as shields and hospitals as cover-ups for their operations. Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 21 Oct. 2024 The director's longtime collaborator Song Kang-ho stars as the proprietor of a small snack shop who — along with his eccentric family — becomes ensnared in an international cover-up when his daughter (Go Ah-sung) is snatched by a monstrous fish creature on the banks of the Han River in Seoul. Katie Rife, EW.com, 18 Oct. 2024 The delay fuelled rumors of a cover-up and political interference in the judiciary, which in turn led to changes to rules in the Belgian constitution governing the appointment of judges. Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 17 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cover-up 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cover-up.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1927, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of cover-up was in 1927

Dictionary Entries Near cover-up

Cite this Entry

“Cover-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cover-up. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

cover-up

noun
cov·​er-up
ˈkəv-ə-ˌrəp
: a planned effort to conceal a wrongful act or situation

More from Merriam-Webster on cover-up

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